About a thousand people have been ordered to evacuate their homes between Grants Pass and Medford after a wildfire grew rapidly overnight near the rural community of Rogue River.
The Fielder Mountain Fire was just 5-10 acres in size Thursday afternoon, but as it spread rapidly through grass along Interstate 5, firefighters decided to launch an aggressive attack, according to updates posted by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s southwest office.
Heavy winds and steep terrain fueled the blaze’s continued growth despite the deployment of seven firefighting helicopters, four airplanes and ground crews. The fire had grown to roughly 550 acres by Friday morning.
While Interstate 5 remains open, officials said travelers should expect delays, especially northbound. Multiple local roads in the area of the fire have been closed.
Though the official cause of the fire is still under investigation, “Initial reports indicated tires on a semi-truck were on fire and flames had spread to nearby vegetation,” the Oregon Department of Forestry said.
In addition to the mandatory Level 3 “Go Now!” evacuations, which are mostly in the city of Rogue River and areas just west of it, another 2,000 people in Jackson and Josephine counties are under “Be Ready” or “Be Set” evacuation status.
The exact boundaries of evacuation zones can shift quickly and are being updated online through the Genasys mapping system.
North Middle School in Grants Pass is taking in people and pets seeking shelter, and the Jackson County Expo Fairgrounds in Central Point can shelter livestock, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Other big fires across Oregon
The Grasshopper Fire, south and east of Mount Hood
High winds fueled the Grasshopper Fire Thursday afternoon. Shifting fire lines forced crews to back off and find new positions to keep firefighters safe.
More than 1,800 people are battling this fire, including professional hot shots and rangeland fire protection association volunteers. They’re using heavy equipment, planes and helicopters as they work to protect structures, especially homes, in the area.
In an earlier update, officials said they’d confirmed the fire had burned at least six homes. They did not have a new estimate of structural damage as of Friday afternoon. Fire officials said they expect challenging weather through the weekend
Check for Grasshopper Fire updates.
Hagen Fire, east of Pendleton
Humidity and cool temperatures helped firefighters make good progress Thursday on the Hagen Fire, and air tankers dropped fire retardant that also slowed its spread. Hotshot crews planned to hand-dig fire lines Friday to take advantage of cooler and humid conditions. Moisture in the air can also increase the chance of thunderstorms so meteorologists assigned to the fire were working with fire managers to watch for any new lightning-caused starts.
Rowe Creek Complex, east of Madras and northeast of Prineville
Lightning strikes added new flames to the Rowe Creek Complex of fires on Thursday, but despite challenging weather, crews made gains in their push to contain the blazes.
Nearly 1,500 people are deployed both inside and outside fire lines. Structural task forces are working around the clock to find and extinguish smoldering fuels within 200 feet of structures, officials said Friday.
Some people who were evacuated from the Rowe Creek Fire were allowed to return home on Friday, though the Crook County Sheriff’s Office said evacuation warnings were easing, not being canceled altogether. Wheeler and Jefferson counties also reduced evacuation levels.
Fire officials cautioned that evacuation orders and road closures could change at a moment’s notice. They also said they expected favorable firefighting weather through the day Friday.
Check for Rowe Creek Complex updates.
Big Grass Fire, near the Owyhee River Canyon and crossing the Idaho border
Oregon’s biggest fire has burned more than 580,000 acres as of Friday. The Big Grass Fire started on July 23 in a remote area of the Jordan Valley.
With more than 1,000 firefighting personnel deployed there, and a long battle ahead to contain the blaze, fire crews are receiving additional support at their Juniper Mountain encampment, James Page, a logistics section chief on the fire, said in a video update posted Friday. That new support includes a fully operating catering unit to serve hot meals, new laundry facilities and more showers.
About 160 people remain evacuated due to the Big Grass Fire, and more than 300 homes are threatened. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning through 8 p.m. Friday, and firefighters anticipate that gusty wind and lightning could affect their efforts.
Check for Big Grass Fire updates.
Wrights Spring Fire, north of Klamath Falls near Chiloquin
Rain moved across the Wrights Spring Fire overnight, helping moderate conditions. Crews planned to spend Friday working to secure and strengthen perimeters around the fire line and to protect historic structures.
The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office issued a stern warning Friday morning that fire season is not the time for chainsaw work, after a resident doing fire-prevention work near the fire inadvertently sparked a new fire with their chainsaw. Wrights Spring firefighters were nearby and quickly contained the fire.
A procession and memorial service are planned Saturday in honor of Jason Ensign, who died while supporting firefighting efforts.